Cat Ford-Coates is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker, one of the hosts of the 12 Month Startup Program on The Portrait System, and a portrait photographer based in Asheville, NC. Ford-Coates discovered her love of photography in a black-and-white film class in college. After working for twelve years in the hospitality industry, she decided she was ready to live life on her own terms and put all her focus on portrait photography. Now, Ford-Coates specializes in boutique campaign design and development for entrepreneurs and fine art portraiture for individuals and families. In a recent interview on the WPPI Podcast, she opened up about how she got started, how campaigns give clients a compelling reason to work with you, and about her WPPI story. In the Q&A below, she shares her biggest photo business breakthrough and more. 

[Read: The Portrait System’s Free Week of Photo Education]

What has been your biggest breakthrough in the photo business?  

My biggest business breakthrough and in life was when I realized the more wholeheartedly I took action toward the “thing,” the more momentum I experienced. 

 
What is your average sale currently?   

$8200 

[Read: Roberto Valenzuela’s Biggest Business Breakthroughs]
 

How did you push past fear when building your photo business?  

Fear is an ingrained mammalian response, but it’s just that, a response. It isn’t truth. I ask myself “Is this true?” and then, “Does this support the success of my goal?” and make my choice from that space instead of allowing fear to dictate my movement on its own. 

[Read: Setting Smart Goals for Your Photo Business]

Making a connection with your subjects is one of the most important parts of creating images that they will love. How do you make lasting connections with your clients?  

I hold space for them to be exactly who they are. I choose to believe that when you allow a person to BE and see them through the proverbial lens of love that their connection is authentic to who they want to be. By photographing them in this way, we create tangible evidence that this version of themselves exists, and oftentimes the byproduct of that is that they step into being that version on all levels. That transformation is extraordinary. 

 Do you regret any decisions you have made in your photo business?  

I regret ever abdicating my responsibility without accountability for any aspect of my business to anyone but me. As a CEO, I am always responsible, whether it’s my doing or someone else’s I’ve entrusted with my name. In the long run, it’s always my fault, and it’s always my job to support the people I put into place to be successful. When I take my eye off the ball, my photo business has suffered. That being said, they aren’t regrets. They’re simply reminders for me to be available to those who need my leadership to succeed in the role they are present to execute.